Matrix Games Forums

I've given up on setting up a PBEM game, but I found a website with a satisfactory substitute here:
 
http://www.lordsofconquest.com

ORIGINAL: Joisey

ORIGINAL: moosinator2000

You can count me in.

ORIGINAL: Joisey

Explain to me why someone would commit the Guard when its impossible to break the enemy, since failure to do so automatically means YOU break instead! [&:]

It's the third round of combat and you know you're going to break. You commit your guard to lower the ensuing pursuit. Guards are cheaper to replace than cavalry.

Okay, this makes sense to me. I don't see why it should be banned.

Well the argument is that it allows the French and Russians to get away with lousy chit picks. Obviously the tactic isn't too effective when your opponent has lots of cavalry. But if the opponent is weak in cavalry and you end up on a very bad combat table you can commit the guard to lose morale and end the battle immediately.

I think it's kind of gamey, but I don't see it as such a huge issue. A simple house rule like 'you can't commit the guard when it is impossible to break the enemy morale' takes care of the most egregious cases.

ORIGINAL: Roads

ORIGINAL: Joisey

ORIGINAL: moosinator2000

You can count me in.




It's the third round of combat and you know you're going to break. You commit your guard to lower the ensuing pursuit. Guards are cheaper to replace than cavalry.

Okay, this makes sense to me. I don't see why it should be banned.

Well the argument is that it allows the French and Russians to get away with lousy chit picks. Obviously the tactic isn't too effective when your opponent has lots of cavalry. But if the opponent is weak in cavalry and you end up on a very bad combat table you can commit the guard to lose morale and end the battle immediately.

I think it's kind of gamey, but I don't see it as such a huge issue. A simple house rule like 'you can't commit the guard when it is impossible to break the enemy morale' takes care of the most egregious cases.

True, but the player that does this does pay the additional penalty of not having his guard corps for the next 5 months, and the tactical disadvantage that goes with it. It's not quite a free lunch. I'm not too exercised about it. There's historical merit to the idea that Napoleon's Imperial Guard would have sacrificed themselves to let the rest of the Army retreat had Napoleon ordered them to do so. They were fanatically loyal to him.

I'm not sure the same could be said for the Czar's Guard, however.

The Austrian, Prussian, and English Guards were probably disciplined enough to make such a self sacrifice if called on to save the rest of their army, although in game terms, those guard units can only shift one column so it might not end up saving you a round of combat at all anyway.